Splashing time packs big safety message | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

A summer programme focused on giving local youths the opportunity to learn about water safety and the marine environment has been a huge success.

About 105 children and volunteer mentors from throughout Hawke's Bay attended the five-day event for 8 to 16-year-olds, based at Camp Tamumu near Waipawa.

The programme involved workshops with motivational speakers from Water Safety New Zealand, Surf Lifesaving New Zealand, the police, the district health board and the Ministry of Fisheries.

It was set up in 2007 by Flaxmere man Zac Makoare to teach children water safety and enforce rules and regulations around fishing and gathering seafood such as crayfish and paua.

Former Central Hawke's Bay Mayor Trish Giddens now works as chairwoman for the Te Tai Timu Trust, which runs the camp and was "very impressed" by the event.

The children were welcomed on Friday then spent Saturday at Pandora Pond, rock climbing, learning about water safety and on the water in kayaks and waka ama.

Yesterday they were at Aramoana Beach, where a speaker from the Ministry of Fisheries taught them about gathering seafood.

Today will be spent rafting at a river near the camp.

A prizegiving with special guest television presenter Pio Terei will be held this afternoon.

Water Safety New Zealand Project Manager Cory Sweeney said the camp had been a "fantastic event".

"It's been a really great opportunity for the kids. They got to experience a whole lot of new things, which is probably the highlight."